New music: 1900s - Babies

Chicago indie-pop band The 1900s just released their second LP Return of the Century last week.  Catchy 60s-inspired pop, gorgeous harmonies and more than enough melodic/instrumental twists to make it interesting.  Check out a free track from the album:

The 1900s - Babies

Stream or download the full album at the band's bancamp page, and check them out at the Middle East Upstairs next Sunday (11/14) with Tunng.

Video for "Amulet", the lead track off Return of the Century:

The Love Language - Heart To Tell (video)

The Love Language's Libraries is one of our favorite releases of the year.  The shimmering-yet-scruffy sophomore effort exceeded our high expectations, proving that Stuart McLamb could grow as a songwriter while still retaining the qualities that made the band's debut stand out - catchy songs, heart-on-sleeve honesty, and a lo-fi take on Wall of Sound arrangements. 

The band has just released a video for standout track "Heart To Tell" - check it out below, along with a video we shot of the band at TT The Bears in July:

New music: Faces On Film - Some Weather

     

Faces On Film's debut, The Troubles, was one of my favorite albums of 2008.  Now, two years later the band is back with follow-up Some Weather.  Where The Troubles recalled Modest Mouse at times, but mostly explored the darker side of indie-folk, the new record adds reverb and loud/quiet dynamics, creating truly epic songs that remind me at times of classic My Morning Jacket and The Walkmen.  Smart arrangements give the songs room to breathe, but add unique touches - sleigh bells pop up often, rich piano and organ compliment acoustic and electric guitars.  Still, the focus of these songs is Mike Fiore's personal lyrics which soar above the music, painting vivid scenes and memorable melodies.  With two beautiful records under their belts, Faces on Film are a band that deserve to be heard and loved by a national audience - hopefully it's just a matter of time.

Check out the band's bandcamp page where you can stream and buy the album.  Check out one of my favorite tracks from the album below:

Faces On Film - Moon's Row

Catch Faces On Film TONIGHT at the Paradise with Blitzen Trapper - tickets are still available

Delta Spirit - Waits Room EP

Delta Spirit's History From Below is still in heavy rotation on my ipod, and yet the band has just announced the Waits Room EP.  Here's what the band has to say about it:

We are happy to announce that we will be releasing a 5 song EP entitled "The Waits Room" just in time for our Fall tour! It will be available only as digital download and vinyl. The iTunes release date is November 16th. We are most excited to announce that we have a limited pressing of 300 12" 180 gram vinyl EP's available only at our shows! We had fun recording this EP with 2 mics live in the "Waits Room" at Prairie Sun Studios. Hope you enjoy!

This is one of the few bands that I will always see when they're in town and will buy everything they put out.  I can't wait to grab my copy of the Waits Room EP on vinyl when the band hits the Paradise on Black Friday (tickets).  Haven't seen a tracklist yet, but here's hoping that they include their excellent cover of Tom Waits' San Diego Serenade - it would be appropriate, afterall.

Balthrop, Alabama: Subway Songs & Cowboy Songs

I'm a few months late on this, but better late than never to mention Balthrop, Alabama and the excellent pair of records they released earlier this year: Subway Songs and Cowboy Songs.  As you might have guessed, the titles of the records hint at the contents - Subway Songs leans on the more urban, street-poet side of folk while Cowboy Songs has more traditional country influence.  The constant thread between the albums is the songwriting - quirky, well-crafted songs brought to life by an eclectic 10-piece band.

Balthrop, Alabama - Subway Horns

Junip + Sharon Van Etten at Royale TONIGHT

Junip, Jose Gonzalez' off-and-on side project is in town tonight supporting their fantastic new record Fields.  If you haven't listened to Fields yet, it comes highly recommended - especially if you like Gonzelez's silky-smooth voice/guitar playing on his solo work.  What's even better is that the supremely talented Sharon Van Etten will be opening for Junip at Royale.  Free tracks from both bands below:

Junip - Always

Sharon Van Etten - Don't Do It

 Unfortunately I won't be able to make it to the show tonight, but I highly recommend checking it out if you can.  Tickets are still available here and at the door.

HOWL: Allen Ginsberg gets the biopic treatment

Taking a quick break from the usual stuff to post something that isn't music related for a change.  Beat literature is defined, for most people, by two works; Jack Kerouac's On The Road and Allen Ginsberg's HOWL.  While an On The Road movie is finally in development (after years of rumors), Ginsberg has gotten the biopic treatment in the new film HOWL.  I'm a big fan of Beat literature and can't wait to see this.  If you missed the 10/1 screening at Coolidge Corner (like me), you can watch on Comcast On Demand.

Chuck Prophet at Lizard Lounge 11.4-5

I was casually surfing venue websites a couple weeks ago, trying to keep tabs on the must-see shows coming up, and I did a double-take when I saw that Chuck Prophet was playing two shows at Cambridge's tiny Lizard Lounge on November 4th and 5th.  To be fair, I can't claim to be well-versed in Chuck Prophet's solo work - but I've spent enough time listening to Green On Red's Gas Food Lodging to know that this is a show I can't miss.  Well before Uncle Tupelo took the country+punk combination and turned it into a movement, Green On Red was making great, nasty country-inflected garage rock - something like The Replacements playing Merle Haggard songs.  Truly one of the first "alt-country" bands, though that label probably didn't exist at the time.

Take the next week to brush up on Chuck Prophet's solo stuff (I'm starting with 2009's ¡Let Freedom Ring!) and then check out the shows next Thursday and Friday (11.4-5).  Tickets for both nights are available here.

Not sure I'm allowed to post this, but I'm taking my chances - a great song from Gas Food Lodging and one of my favorite songs for a Halloween mix:

Green On Red - Black Night

Live: David Wax Museum at Paradise Rock Club 10.16.10

UPDATE: By popular demand I've re-uploaded this David Wax Museum show from October 2010.  This show featured a stripped-down three-piece lineup but as always, they delivered an incredible set -- the crowd ate it up.  They play songs from I Turned Off Thinking About, Carpenter Bird, the then-unreleased Everything Is Saved and "Vivian", a track that will finally see the light of day (in re-worked form) on their upcoming album.

My first introduction to The David Wax Museum was at the inaugural Kitchen Session back in March.  I still remember showing up on that rainy Spring night knowing literally nothing about the band and leaving later in the night, CDs in hand, a fan.  A polite golf clap turned into raucous applause over the course of the night as David Wax, Suz Slezak, Jiro Kokubu and Jordan Wax played an energetic set of Mexican-infused folk songs.

Over the last six-plus months I've had the chance to see the band win over larger and larger audiences in the same way they did a small living room that night.  First it was the tiny Lizard Lounge and Club Passim, later it was the mighty Newport Folk Festival - in all cases the band's enthusiasm brought the crowds to their feet as they sang and danced along.  As I stood at the side of the stage at Newport I couldn't help but eavesdrop as members of the Avett Brothers likened the drive and ambition of David Wax Museum to themselves.  In the days that followed it was hard to find a review of the festival that didn't cite The David Wax Museum as one of the true highlights. 

Following a successful but busy summer that culminated with a string of sold out shows at Lizard Lounge, the band took what must have been a much-needed break.  They returned to the stage at the Paradise on October 16 and picked up right where they left off, quickly winning over a crowd of Carolina Chocolate Drops fans.  The set was a mix of songs from their last LP Carpenter Bird, and songs from their upcoming album Everything Is Saved.  The full set is available for stream/download below in fantastic sound - a pristine matrix of soundboard and audience recording.

Please support The David Wax Museum by pre-ordering Everything Is Saved here, and get tickets for their October 29 show at Club Passim (early show is sold out, tickets still available for the late show).

The David Wax Museum
Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
October 16, 2010

Beatrice
The Persimmon Tree
When You Are Still
Born With A Broken Heart
Colas
Unfruitful
Lavender Street (acoustic)
Beekeeper
The Great Unawakening
Vivian
Yes, Maria, Yes